Terrific September Weekend :: Instagram Pics

I had such a terrific weekend!  It started off Friday when I super productively spent a few hours in Penn Station (went to DMV, got camera professionally cleaned, shopped at Macy*s and Old Navy, and visited St Michael's).  Saturday am was dedicated to a family session (with 2 boys with the bluest of blue eyes), and in the pm, I went to mass with Tony at St Josephs.  Following mass we shopped at the Strand and had ramen for dinner, which was perfect with the rain.

Then came Sunday - 2 yoga classes (took and photographed) and hung out w the yoga pals a bit after in Midtown East.  And at night, my closest pals surprised me by all coming together and celebrating my birthday, even though it's not for another month. How did they even find Howard? Leave it up to Marissa to coordinate I suppose. A Babycakes vegan apple tart with star shaped candles and a birthday song on a Sunday night (and perfectly curly hair) at a cute vino bar in Tribeca (Terroir) - how could I not be happy?

Thanks a million! Lots of love!

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Stretching it On the Street: Joseph Encinia YOGA

Joseph Encinia is the 2011 bikram world yoga champ ... and a few Fridays ago, we did a photosession in the city.  Words cant describe how amazing it was to see how effortlessly he would go into the yoga postures. His balance of strength and flexibility is absolutely beautiful!

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A Few Days at the Ashram

On the second morning, we took the wrong ferry to Paradise Island, not realizing that there was only one specific ferry from Mermaid Dock that would take us to the ashram.  The rain started to pour and we ended up soaked. After a long trip for such a short distance we made it to the ashram.  For the next few days, we would wake up early to chant and meditate, take two yoga classes and eat two vegetarian meals.  The days went by so rapidly because we had so little to do in such long time blocks.

There was a special musical festival on the days we visited, and we observed and listened how music and prayer can be so closely intertwined. The classes were fun, and the days were interesting even though it felt more/less like camp.  Oh and one of the instructors asked if I were a dancer or gymnast!  Sivananda is quite a bit different from Bikram, but each day I was there I was pulled to focus on yoga through a different light. 

The ashram is situated in a nice private area on Paradise Island, ironically, next to the Atlantis.

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Finally Pics of Me. Hehe.

Here are the pics from the rest of Sunday - pics of me!!

Fall in the Background

I love Autumn!

Trying Dancer Without Stretching

Seriously Focusing!

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Yogasana Sunday

This weekend, NYC and LES hosted the tri-state yoga championships that took place in the Upper West Side, conveniently 7 blocks north of where I live.

While fun, the event was so draining and exhausting. I left my apartment around 10:20A to take an am class and didnt return home till 7P-ish. I only wish I took more pictures but I was running around and didnt even get to watch half of the event!

The winner of it all ended up being Kyoko, my Saturday afternoon teacher. When I first started practicing, I would only take class once a week, and it would be hers - she would give me the best corrections and would know when I was slacking (Terra said this was the case bc she has a similar figure and knows my body).

Some memorable things:

- Saw the studio owner from Ithaca who I met a few weekends ago, when I was first lining up on stage, he made faces at me so I would notice him. He also gave me a hug so big it cracked my back.

- People took turns playing piano to de-stress; I got people to sing Over the Rainbow as I played it for fun

- Free and endless amounts of Zico (I drank three while there)

- Terra made it! She told me she had dreams about me two nights in a row

- NYC's studio owner congratulated me in the end, and said she wanted to see me up there again next year

- My outfit stood out, but in a good way, and everyone loved the stripes!

Some people in the Green Room

Playing to De-Stress!

My friend and teacher who has been so wonderful and helpful!

The Champ!

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